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This website is dedicated
to all soldiers of Pilipino descent who served in the United States military during WW11.
The mission of this website is to reclaim our forgotten military history and heritage in the United States Armed Forces. Special recognition is given to the 7,000 Pilipinos
in the U.S. Army 1st, 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, as well
as to the additional Navy and the Merchant Marine personnel, mostly sent to liberate the Philippines, then a colonial possession
of the United States from almost three years of Japanese occupation. Some of the Pilipino soldiers, already WW1 U.S. veterans in the Hawaiian Infantry would serve again in
the Korean War. Significantly, their descendants would serve not only in the Korean and Vietnam
wars, but also in the current Middle East military conflicts. This only proves that answering
the call to military duty is a gift that soldiers of Pilipino descent in every generation keeps on giving to Uncle Sam, especially
during times of wars.
An invaluable resource
for the Filipino Infantry Regiments is
http://geocities.com/laginguna1942
the highly recommended
website owned by Sgt (Ret.) Pelagio A. Valdez, created to honor SSgt Pablo S. Valdez, his father who served in both of these
WW11 Filipino Regiments.
Meanwhile, in our
website, we start with the name list of our Pilipino WW11 Veterans from their respective home state of (military) record
or state of residence. Most of the initial listings will come from the State of Hawaii, since my first genealogical project is
about Pilipinos in Hawaii
http://filipinosgone2hawaii.tripod.com
Significant listings will be added for Pilipino WW11 veterans who served in the Philippines after they volunteered or were drafted to the US military service. They are the casualties and survivors
of the Bataan Death March, POWs, Philippine Scouts, USAFFE, Navy, Coast Guards, Merchant
Marine, Guerrilla forces and others. Gathering all these massive information will almost be a lifetime project, but then,
such will be an insignificant task compared to what thousands of our soldiers had given all of us for the cause of freedom
and liberty. Moreover, since the Philippines is the host country to the U.S. military
bases, the role that the Pilipinos played in these wars that involved Asian countries like Japan, Korea & Vietnam can
not and should not be ignored.
The awareness
of our unique history is the responsibility of every living Pilipino. I offer you this website as a limited resource for WW11.
It is my hope that my love for the Philippines
history and culture overcome my lack of scholarly credential.
Pilipinos who served in
WW11 U.S. Armed Forces
Philippine Army, a part of U.S.
Armed Forces=100,000
Philippine
Scouts=12,000
Pilipinos in the U.S. who served in the U.S. military=12,000
(we need better statistics than these, because there were 200,000 Pilipinos drafted by the Commonwealth government)
Congressional Medal of Honor (U.S.
highest military award)
WW11 total awarded=347 & an addition of 22 Asian American Affirmative Action upgrade from Distinguished Service
Cross (DSC)
Short List of Pilipino
soldiers awardees
Sgt Jose Calugas awarded 2/24/1942
SSgt Rudolph B. Davilla awarded 6/21/2002 (upgrade)
Many Pilipinos pay homage to the “Dambana ng Kagitingan,” a monument in Mt.
Samat, Pilar, Bataan every 9th of April
during “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor) to honor everyone who fought for our freedom in WW11.
All Gave Some
Some Gave All
Author unknown
This website
will always be a work in progress.
I apologize
for any error, omission, or misprint.
My Info:
Maria Elizabeth
Del Valle Embry
Antioch, California
Cabayaosan,
Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines
pinay_492001@yahoo.com
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Dedicated to my father Benjamin Embry, 26th CavalryTroop #C (PS), Death March and POW survivor:
Hit the Leather and Ride
by Captain Meredith Wilson
It’s a far cry -- from San Juan Hill to the gallant twenty-sixth at Bataan -- Now the spurs blend their jingle with the clank of a tank; -- Our
scouts reconnoiter to protect the Yankee flank; --
Our mechanized security is money in the bank; -- It’s the Cavalry rolling on --
CHORUS
We’re
gonna "Hit the Leather and Ride", take it all in our stride, "Hit the Leather and Ride" all the way, -- And
though we’re glad to know the Infantry’s behind us, -- They’ll have to eat Cavalry dust to find us,
-- Let every son of a gallopin’ Yank jump in a saddle or tank, "Hit the Leather and Ride" all the way,
-- Tho’ some are the mechanized, you’ll recognize the outfit, -- We’re ridin hell bent for leather
today, -- We’re ridin hell bent for leather today, --
VERSE
Let your spurs dig in! Let the charge
begin! Let the order to rally -- -- roll through the valley like the roll of drums -- -- Let hooves ring true -- --
in a wild tattoo! Colonel Teddy and Custer know how we’ll muster when the great day comes
Do Not Go Gentle
by Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close
of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
Though wise men at their end know
dark is right,
Because their words had forked no
lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying
how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced
in a green
bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun
in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved
it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with
blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors
and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.
And you, my father, there on the sad
height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce
tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying
of the light.
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